McAnulty is key to another Salt Lake Bees' win

SALT LAKE CITY — Paul McAnulty doesn't have a big enough ego to take credit for the Salt Lake Bees' turnaround in the past three weeks.

But the fact remains that Salt Lake has, coincidentally or not, been on a tear since McAnulty returned to the Bees after a stint with the parent Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He certainly had a huge role in Salt Lake's 10-5 victory over New Orleans Tuesday night at Spring Mobile Ballpark, pounding a go-ahead, three-run home run in the fourth inning.

"I was just trying to get the runs across the board; I just got a good pitch and the wood on it," said McAnulty. "All I'm trying to do there is hit the ball hard because that is all I can really control."

Salt Lake was three games under .500 and seven games behind the Tacoma Rainiers in the PCL Pacific North Division standings when McAnulty returned to the team on July 22. Since that time, however, the Bees have gone 14-7 and have climbed right back into the divisional title chase. The Bees' win, combined with Tacoma's loss on Tuesday, leaves Salt Lake just one-half game behind the Rainiers. The Bees are 61-57, while the Rainiers are 61-56.

"We got a great team here," said McAnulty, who refused to take individual credit for Salt Lake's recent good fortune. "We got guys that can put the wood on the ball. We're not really looking into the standings because, in my opinion, it's too early. A lot can happen in a month. Some people might but I don't. We just go out there every day and play our hearts out."

The Bees trailed 2-1 entering the fourth inning on Tuesday, but McAnulty's three-run blast gave Salt Lake a lead it would never relinquish. Salt Lake continued the rally by scoring seven runs in the fourth inning alone.

"That was a big home run by Mac," said Bees manager Bobby Mitchell of McAnulty's homer. "That seemed to get everybody going."

Every Salt Lake batter got at least one base hit on the night. Catcher Hank Conger had a big night with a pair of hits, two runs scored and a solo homer.

The final game of the four-game set with New Orleans — and the eight-game homestand for the Bees — will be tonight at 7. Salt Lake is scheduled to start Eric Junge (3-0, 4.11 ERA) against the Zephyrs' Alejandro Sanabia (0-0, 1.50).

BEES WAX: The Bees will have a rare day off on Thursday before heading east to face the Nashville Sounds in a four-game series beginning Friday. … Monday night's star, shortsop Luis Figueroa, left the team to be with his ill grandfather in Puerto Rico. He's been replaced on the roster for the time being by Darwin Perez, who had been with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga. Perez got the start on Tuesday and had a pair of hits. ... Conger's season-long hitting streak is now up to a season-long nine games. Michael Ryan's current hitting streak is seven. … Attendance at Tuesday's game was 6,270.

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